Author: Joanna

There will be 50 million meetings today in the US alone*. How many will be productive and what about your meetings? If you think yours will be productive, then odds on, you’ll be the host. The perceptions of hosts and attendees are often disconnected. This matters as high employee engagement, with all its benefits, is…

Do you believe that “curiosity killed the cat”? I don’t. This proverb may be a wise warning against poking into other people’s affairs. However, its application ends there. In fact, curiosity is one of 24 Character Strengths identified by Chris Peterson and Martin Seligman (Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification.) This acclaimed advert…

Flowers provide universal delight whether monochrome and of a delicate persuasion or an exuberant festoon of colour and perfume. As our senses are engaged, so emotions are mobilised. Flowers can be a gift to both the giver and receiver, as neatly expressed by Confucius, “flowers leave some of their fragrance on the hand that bestows…

When I coach clients who are in transition, purpose and meaning frequently come into sharp relief. Jobs are often a significant part of our identities and encapsulate so much more than the purely functional aspects of a role. The common thread which provides purpose and meaning is the sense of having made a discernible positive…

Take a look at the pictures above. What do you see? In the CBD in Sydney there’s a construction site on a corner. Nothing remarkable in that you may be thinking. You will easily be able to picture the scene of people scurrying past, many looking at their mobile phones. For those who do look…

Seeing my clients navigate to their bigger, bolder, brighter future brings me delight. I am endlessly fascinated by the fact that, essentially, we all have the same yearning to be understood and valued and yet we are all different and full of contradictions. I call this being human! Part of being understood and valued is…

Why is it that we often waste valuable time or go up a blind alley because we hold back from asking for help? In the early stages of my career, I was under the misapprehension that self-starters don’t ask for help. Added in to the mix was concern about showing any weakness in a macho…

Raw ability alone is an inadequate predictor of success. In her New York Times bestseller Grit: The power of passion and perseverance, Angela Duckworth shows that the secret lies in a special blend of passion and persistence. She calls this grit. There is both good news and bad news. If you have prodigious talent you will…

Framing is essentially how you see the world. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, it is quite normal to have a constant running commentary in your head. This can serve a useful purpose as you take note of your surroundings and process the myriad possible responses and actions. However, it is also common to…

Are you fulfilled and enjoying life? Or, are you eking out a limited quota in the belief that you can draw on the Bank of Enjoyment in old age? In fact, there is no need to settle for life on a treadmill. All too many people think that success leads to enjoyment. Research shows that…